Heavy rain is forecast this weekend and flood warnings have been issued for southwestern and southeastern parts of the country. Germany has also seen its first snow of the season.

Heavy rain headed for Bavaria and Saxony

Since the beginning of the week, heavy rain and stormy weather have been forecast to arrive in eastern and southeastern parts of the country this weekend.

Now, the DWD has warned that Bavaria and Saxony will likely see extreme weather over the next few days, including “partly heavy, persistent rain (severe weather) from the Alps across the foothills to the Bavarian Forest and in the south and east of Saxony".

The storm is caused by a low-pressure system moving up from the warm Mediterranean region and clashing with polar air from the Alps.

In the Berchtesgadener Land region, which borders Austria, 80 to 120 litres of rain per square metre is expected to fall by Sunday.

As climate change in Germany becomes more tangible, climate scientists predict extreme weather events will intensify. 2024 has already seen extreme weather events hit Germany, including the hottest summer ever recorded in the Global North and serious flooding in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria in early June, which killed nine people.

Since 196 people died in the 2021 floods in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany has renewed efforts to test its warning system, with an annual test now scheduled for the second week of September.

The most recent test on September 12 has been called a success. "We not only demonstrated the effectiveness of our warning systems but also raised awareness of the important topic of warning,” President of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) Ralph Tiesler said.

Czechia braces for possibility of major flooding

The other side of Germany’s borders expects to see the worst of the storm, Austria, Poland, Czechia and Slovakia are all awaiting extreme rainfall. 

"The situation that we are expecting in the next four, possibly five days is unfortunately very similar to the situation during the major floods of 1997 and 2002," Czechian Minister for the Environment Petr Hladík said in a press conference on Wednesday.

First snow of the season falls in Germany

The peaks of the Zigspitze mountain have also seen Germany’s first sprinkle of snow for the season. 

On Saturday morning the snow line, the altitude above which snow is found for most of the year, is expected to drop to around 1.000 metres above sea level.

Eastern parts of the country will see the most snow, between 20 and 40 centimetres is expected to fall at higher altitudes by Sunday morning.

Thumb image credit: Ana_Schu.foto / Shutterstock.com